Mora drives in three as Orioles edge Rays

Apr 11, 2009 - 3:27 AM
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Orioles lost so many times to
Tampa Bay last year, they apparently tried to purge the memory.

So, after the Orioles beat the Rays 5-4 Friday night to end a
12-game skid against the defending AL champions, no one in the
Baltimore clubhouse celebrated the occasion.

"It's 2009, so you put 2008 to bed and you put that streak to
bed," manager Dave Trembley said. "I dare say that I didn't even
think about it."

George Sherrill, who worked the ninth to earn his second save,
said, "I didn't know the numbers; that's something we try to
stay away from because it will sway you one way or the other. It
was a good win and one that we needed."

Melvin Mora drove in three runs, Mark Hendrickson won in his
Baltimore debut and the Orioles ended a run of futility against
the Rays thanks to an 11-hit attack.

Baltimore went 3-15 against Tampa Bay last year, 0-12 after
April 29. But now the Orioles are 1-0 against their AL East
rivals and 3-1 overall after opening the season by winning two
of three from the New York Yankees.

"It was fun," said Hendrickson, who allowed one run and six hits
in 5 1-3 innings. "We're playing all facets of the game well and
it showed tonight."

Evan Longoria hit two homers and drove in three runs for Tampa
Bay. The 2008 AL Rookie of the Year has four home runs and at
least one RBI in all four of the Rays' games this season.

Dioner Navarro also homered for Tampa Bay, but that was the
extent of the Rays' offense.

"We're still relying on the home run right now to score our
points," manager Joe Maddon said. "We've got to do a little bit
better job of (using) the base hit."

Signed as a free agent during the offseason, Hendrickson (1-0)
struck out two and walked two.

"I told Dave when he came out that's pretty much all I had for
him tonight," said the left-hander, who pitched for Tampa Bay
from 2004-06. "It's part of the process early in the year."

Said Trembley: "He gave us everything he had and we're real
proud of him. He did a tremendous, tremendous job."

Sherrill, the third Baltimore reliever, struck out the side in
the ninth but gave up a solo homer to Navarro, who ended an
0-for-11 skid to start the season.

Tampa Bay starter Andy Sonnanstine (0-1) allowed five runs and
eight hits in 4 2-3 innings. He is 2-3 with a 7.11 ERA in six
career starts against Baltimore.

The Orioles used a three-run fifth inning to go up 5-1.
Sonnanstine retired the first two batters before Adam Jones
doubled and scored on a soft single to center by Nick Markakis.
After Aubrey Huff reached on an infield hit, Mora singled in a
run and Huff came home on a wild pitch.

Sonnanstine then issued an intentional walk to Luke Scott before
Lance Cormier, who played with Baltimore last year, struck out
Ryan Freel.

After Hendrickson gave up a one-out single to Carlos Pena in the
sixth, Danys Baez struck out the first four batters he faced in
1 2-3 innings of flawless relief.

Jim Johnson gave up a two-run shot to Longoria in the eighth,
the first homer he's allowed since July 29, 2006.

Longoria homered in the first inning after Carl Crawford was
thrown out at third trying to stretch a double. In the bottom
half, the Orioles loaded the bases with one out before Mora
grounded a two-run single up the middle.

Hendrickson worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second by
retiring Jason Bartlett on a comebacker.

Tampa Bay missed another scoring opportunity in the fourth on a
baserunning error by Gabe Kapler, who overran third base and got
caught in a rundown on a two-out infield hit by Ben Zobrist.

"I looked down and touched the base and assumed he was out at
first," Kapler said. "It's unacceptable. It's inexcusable and
completely my responsibility."

Notes: The top three batters in Baltimore's lineup -- Brian
Roberts, Jones and Markakis -- are batting a collective .432
(19-for-44) with 10 RBIs and 15 runs. ... The Rays' six-game
winning streak in Baltimore ended. ... Orioles relievers have
allowed five homers in four games.

ALAT BALTIMORE - SCORING UPDATESOLO HOME RUN BY DIONER NAVARRO (1) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN THE 9TH OFF GEORGE SHERRILL.CURRENT SCORE: TAMPA BAY 4, BALTIMORE 5DUE UP FOR TAMPA BAY: B ZOBRIST (.286, 2-FOR-3)